ROLE OF PRACTICUM IN TEACHER EDUCATION IN GHANA J. Anamuah-Mensah Teacher education plays a crucial role in empowering a group of people to assist the greater majority of individuals to adapt to the rapidly changing social, economic and cultural environment to ensure the development of human capital required for the economic and social growth of societies. It is said that “if they (teachers) acquire the professional competence and attitudes that enable them to effectively perform their multiple tasks in the classroom, in the school and in the community, teachers become the single most important contributing factor in ensuring quality educational provision” (Dave & Rajput, 2000). A critical aspect of this professional competence is the practicum. It is the heart of teacher education and an inseparable aspect of any professional training. In this presentation, attempt is made to examine the objective of teacher education, some of the contextual challenges, models of practicum experiences and the role of practicum in teacher education. Objective of teacher education in Ghana The underlying principle of teacher education in Ghana is: to provide teachers with better knowledge and skills, together with better incentives to use their knowledge and skills for the benefit of children, through the creation of an accessible, integrated teacher education and training system which provides a structure for continuous professional development throughout their teaching careers. (MOE, 1993) The Presidential Committee on the Review of Education Reform in Ghana stated the objective of teacher education in Ghana as the training and development of the right type of teacher who is competent, committed and dedicated. Such a teacher should be capable of: Applying, extending and synthesising various forms of knowledge; Developing attitudes, values and dispositions that create a conducive environment for quality teaching and learning in schools; Facilitating learning and motivating individual learners to fully realise their potential; Adequately preparing the learner to participate fully in the national development effort (Republic of Ghana, 2002). The above statements require the development of skills in the student teacher, skills that encompass classroom management, collegial relations and teacher-parent-community interactions. Contextual challenges 1. There is disconnection between theory as taught in teacher education institutions and practice on the field; that is, the needs of the schools including their teachers are not matched to the curriculum of teacher training institutions. 2. Teacher education does not seem to influence the ‘native theories’ of pre-service teachers; the native theories they enter training colleges with remain untouched (Bullough, 1997,p. 105); 3. Inadequate mastery of the content and activities for specific educational level. 4. lack of skills in test construction and in interactions with the community. A holistic teacher education programme, borrowing from Hargreaves and Fullan’s (1992) three approaches to teacher development, may be perceived to involve the acquisition of knowledge and skills, development of self-understanding (of personal beliefs and knowledge about teaching), and as ecological change i.e. the development of collaborative school culture. Structure of Teacher Education Teacher education or development as is used by many teacher educators (Hargreaves & Fullan, 1992) is a complex, multi-faceted process, made up of initial teacher training, inservice training (or continuing education) and lifelong education. In some places, teachers go through an additional process of induction and licensing. These processes cannot be carried out in isolation from one another. A strong synergistic relationship among the different elements especially between the practical experiences and the theory is required for quality teacher education. Currently, the major institutions that collaborate to provide teacher education in Ghana are: Ghana Education Service (GES), University of Education, Winneba (UEW), and University of Cape Coast (UCC). The Ghana Education Service provides initial teacher education through 38 Teacher Training Colleges located in various parts of the country. Tables 1 and 2 in the appendix show the different types and aspects of teacher education in Ghana as well as the emphasis given to the practicum experience. Models of teacher education practicum The practical training that students undergo and the characteristics they develop in their teacher education programmes are determined to a large extent by the type of “model and method of teacher education” (Ben-Peretz, 2000). Ben-Peretz (1996) identifies two models - the master teacher model and the Joint problem-solving model. A third model used in Ghana is the college or university supervision model which gives the university or college supervisor the sole responsibility for shaping the thoughts and practices of the student teacher. Although this could be considered as a master teacher model, an attempt has been made to differentiate it from that at the school level. In this model schools are used as authentic sites for student teachers to practice what they have been taught in the college or university without any assistance from the teachers in the school. Indeed the teachers in the schools perceive the period of student teachers’ practice teaching as a time to have a break. In the master teacher or traditional apprenticeship model, significant individuals such as method lecturers, school-based mentors serve as personal models of professional practice through their knowledge, actions and attitudes. The teacher mentors and university or college supervisors are seen as experts whose actions and advice should be followed (in most cases without question) by the student teacher. The student teacher is thus thought as one with no ideas and experiences to which could be tapped. For the joint problem-solving model, student teachers, teacher educators and mentors participate jointly in solving real-life school and classroom problems, the solutions to which are not known to any of them. The three agencies for teacher development in the country employ aspects of the three models. Some use the university supervision model (e.g., UCC), while UEW uses a cross between the master and the joint problem-solving models. Teacher training colleges are transiting from college supervision to school mentor-based master teacher model. The introduction of the 4-year IN-IN- IN-OUT programme at UEW was an innovation introduced to meet the need for quality education in the schools. With this, the students spend 3 years doing academic work in the university and use the last year for internship in schools across the country. This new system extends the 4-week teaching practice to 40 weeks. It involves the following innovative strategies: Introduction of mentoring system and the formation of Professional Development Schools (PDS) for professional teacher education through university-schools partnerships. Introduction of Portfolio as an appraisal system as well as the basis for reflection during the practicum experience. Engagement of student teacher in developing his/her philosophy of teaching; this is intended to challenge pre-service teachers to engage in the exploration of their beliefs and expectations or what may be termed their ‘native theories’ (AnamuahMensah, 1997). Introduction of action research as a tool for engaging in reflection on their ‘native theories’ as well as the problems they encounter in their teaching. It allows pre-service teachers to bring their private and public theories into the public domain. Action research allows the teachers to systematically codify their practical experience and make it part of the shared professional knowledge of teachers just as is done by many recognised professions such as engineering and medicine (Ben-Peretz, 1984). Involvement in school community activities such as Parent-Teacher association activities. The above model of partnership and mentoring attempts to follow the work of Hargreaves and Fullan (1992). Hargreaves and Fullan’s (1992) have suggested three approaches to teacher development, namely, the acquisition of knowledge and skills, development of self-understanding (of personal beliefs and knowledge about teaching), and ecological change i.e. the development of collaborative school culture. These have been found to be critical to the development of competent teachers. Role of practicum As a major component of the training of teachers, practicum experience for initial teacher education should have in-built flexibility to enable teachers who go through it be able to meet future demands. The role of practicum in any teacher education programme will depend on the structure of the practicum. While some have six-week experience others have 16-32 week experience that embraces different activities and different objectives. This suggests multiple roles for the practicum experience. These roles include: o Strengthening the development of specific teaching competencies, o Providing opportunities for self reflection, o Providing opportunities for sharing experiences with a mentor, supervisor and peers, o ‘Promoting problem solving capacity and team skill in student teachers and an appreciation of the life of the whole school as distinct from teaching in individual classroom’, o encourage formation of learning communities and promotion of team work, o developing collaborative capacities in student teachers as a basis for successful participation in teaching teams and partnership arrangements at school, o providing opportunity for student teachers to establish themselves as generative and innovative teaching professionals through authentic participation in school and community activities, o meeting real pupils/learners and real situations enables student teachers to develop a repertoire of skills in dealing with different learning situations, o Developing competencies as teacher-researcher through action research projects. Conclusion There is the need to develop alternative innovative practicum experiences in our teacher training programmes if we are to produce teachers who can face the challenges in the field. These experiences should promote team work, problem solving and a better appreciation of the link between school and community. References Anamuah-Mensah, J. (1997). Native science beliefs among some Ghanaian students. International Journal of Science Education, 20 (1), 115-124. Ben-Peretz, M. (1984). Curriculum theory and practice in teacher education programs. In Katz, L. G. & Raths, J. D. (Eds), Advances in Teacher Education, Vol. 1 (pp. 9-27). Norwood, NJ: ABLEX Publishing. Ben-Peretz, M. (1996). The search for teacher educators? What are the qualifications? In Ephraty, N. & Lidor, R., eds. Teacher education; stability, evolution and revolution. Proceedings of the Second International Conference, Zinman College of Physical Education, Israel, p.1377-84. Ben-Peretz, M. (2000). When teaching changes, can teacher education be far behind. Prospects, 30(2), 215-224. Bullough, R. V. (1997). Becoming a teacher: self and the social location of teacher education. In Biddle, B. J., Good, T. L. & Goodson, I. F. (Eds.), International Handbook of Teachers and Teaching, Vol. I (pp 76-134). London: Kluwer Academic. Hargreaves, A. & Fullan, M. G.(Eds)(1992). Understanding teacher development. New York: Teachers College Press. Republic of Ghana (2002). Meeting the challenges of education in the twenty-first century: A report of the President’s committee on review of education reforms in Ghana. Accra: Adwinsa Publications Table 1: An Ideal Typical Typology of Initial Teacher Education Programmes (Adapted from Lewin,K.M,1999) APPENDIX Table 1: An Ideal typical typology of initial teacher education programmes Duration Entry Curriculum Teaching Practice Teaching Styles Certification Costs per student University based BEd 4 years fulltime residential senior secondary school leavers Written exams, school practice reports, projects Relatively high 3-years distance learning with face to face; non residential 1-year sandwich after first degree Certificate A Block practice 4-6 weeks or 1-year internship Teaching in schools in normal employment Lectures, use of specialist facilities University based Diploma Subject upgrading, subject methods, professional Subject studies upgrading, instruction modules, face-to-face Written exams, school practice reports, projects medium Written school reports, or studies Written school reports, or studies exams, practice projects special Relatively high but for shorter duration exams, practice projects special Relatively high but for shorter duration exams, practice projects special Relatively high Description Type 1a: Type 1b University Post Graduate Diploma in Education methods, professional studies University degree Subject methods, professional studies Block practice 6 weeks Lectures, use of specialist facilities in 1 year full time residential or I year sandwich HND, City & Guilds Subject methods, professional studies Block practice 6 weeks Lectures, use of specialist facilities Teacher training College based Certificate A /Diploma 3 years fulltime residential senior secondary school leavers Subject upgrading, subject methods, professional studies 1 year internship Lectures, use of specialist facilities, self study distance modules Written school reports, or studies In-Service Up1-5 years Experience as grading for part-time temporary or initial residential untrained non-1999 qualification from and/or teachers Adapted Lewin, residential Subject upgrading, subject methods, professional studies Teaching in schools in normal employment Residential lectures/ workshops of varying duration, selfstudy, distance learning Written exams, school or inspectors reports Certificate Education Type 2 Type 3 ? High or low depending on duration and intensity of contact with tutors Table 2: Comparison of the Nature of Teacher Education in Approved Institutions AREAS Teacher Training Colleges University of Cape Coast University of Education, Winneba Emphasis Concern for quality of education of education at the basic level Produce teachers and heads for secondary and teacher training colleges Concern for upgrading teachers in order to improve basic, secondary and technical education Implementers TED/GES Faculty of Education All Faculties of UEW Type of Training Duration of Programme Structure/Location Initial Initial/Upgrading Mainly Upgra ding 3 years 2 years/4 years 2 years/4 years Concurrent; (i) 2yr college plus 1yr. school-based practice coupled with DE* Concurrent/Consecutive; (i) 4yr university with 6 weeks of school-based practice. (ii) 2 yr sandwich diploma (iii) 2 yr DE (iv) 1 yr PGDE (v) 1-2 yr Med/MPhil Concurrent/Consecutive; (i) 3yr university, 1 yr internship in schools (ii) 2 yr DE (iii) 2 yr post Dip. DE (iv) 1 yr sandwich/full time CE** (v) 1 yr PGDE (vi) 1-2 yr Med/MPhil Model of practical training Levels Entry Requirement College Supervision Master teacher/University supervision Primary/JSS/SSS/TTC (i). 12yr of schooling with SSS grades, (ii) Post Sec Certificate ‘A’ (iii) BA; BSc (iv) Science remedial Qualification Certificate A Bed, Diploma in Education Quality Assurance UCC UCC/NAB Master teacher/joint problem solving Primary/JSS/SSS/TTC (i) Post Sec Cert. A; (ii) HND (iii) BA, BSc; (iv Dip. In Education (v) 12 yr of schooling with SSS grades (vi) 10 weeks pre-entry programme. Bed, Diploma in Education , Post Dip. DE UEW/NAB Primary/JSS 12 yr of schooling with SSS grades DE: Distance Education ; NAB: National Accreditation Board CE: Certificate in Education